Google makes disk encryption mandatory in Android Q

Google makes disk encryption in Android Q mandatory for all smartphone manufacturers. The mobile operating system also gets some other new security features, such as a software codec sandbox and support for TLS 1.3.

Google describes the new security features in a blog post. The company uses the new Adiantium encryption method to enable disk encryption in all devices. Adiantium was presented in February. Although disk encryption is already enabled in most modern Android devices, manufacturers of low-end smartphones sometimes choose to disable encryption. Adiantium is intended to enable encryption also on such CPUs without performance degradation.

Android Q will also receive support for TLS 1.3, the successor to TLS 1.2. Stronger encryption is used in 1.3, and it would be up to 40 percent faster than the previous version. The company has also updated the BiometricPrompt API used for biometric authentication across the operating system and apps. With the update, developers will have more options to extend the method.

Finally, Android Q will receive support for Electronic ID. This allows a phone to be used as an identity or driver’s license. According to Google, it will take a while before Android can actually use that function, because it works together with the ISO standardization institute.